Edmodo How-to: Locking and Unlocking Your Groups

Edmodo enables you to quickly and easily create groups for each of your classes so that you can collaborate and share content in a safe environment. After your create a group, you can invite your students into the group by sharing the six digit group code or the join group URL.

Auto Locking Group CodesAs part of our routine safety procedures, all group codes will now automatically lock 14 days after the group was created or after the code is reset. This is to ensure your groups are safe and keeps you in full control. Don’t fret though, you can unlock the group code at anytime to add additional students, without affecting students who have already joined.

Lock/Unlock Groups
To manually lock or unlock your group, select the lock icon located to the right of your group code. Note that if your group has been locked and you need to unlock it, the group code will automatically reset.

What does it mean when my group is locked?When a group is locked, nobody can join the group. However, all existing members in the group will still remain in the group. No need to worry, you can always unlock the group code to add additional students without affecting any students who are already members.

Does locking a group change my Join Group URL?No. Your Join Group URL (located directly under your group code) will always be the same. You can distribute this Join Group URL to anyone you would like to join the group. When a user clicks the join group URL, you will receive a notification to approve or deny that user’s membership into the group.

I have a Professional Development group, how should I get teachers onboard?For PD groups, we suggest distributing the Join Group URL or posting this Join Group URL in a public place.

I am organizing a “Powered by Edmodo” conference and have already created groups for all of the sessions, what should I do?If you are leading a “Powered by Edmodo” conference that is happening soon, please let us know immediately by emailing institutions@edmodo.com. We will ensure the group codes do not lock until after the conference.

To learn about product updates, please visit the “What’s New” section of our help center.

10 Responses to “Edmodo How-to: Locking and Unlocking Your Groups”

I have sent out letters to invite teachers to join my group with the code. I just unlocked the group and received a new code that will not match the one I sent out on the invite. Is there any way to reset my code to the original code?
Thank you,
Shannon DeLora

This automatic locking of the code is not helpful. I, too, sent out letters with the code, and now my students who have not registered are locked out. It is summer, and I do not have a way to reach them. This was the whole point of my using Edmodo. I recommend in the future there be an override to this.

Mr Singh – Once a student joins a group, they are in the group permanently (unless you remove them). If the group auto locks before the student is able to join, they can still use the group code to join. In this case, rather than instantly joining the group, Edmodo will place the student in an approval queue and you (the teacher) will need to approve their join request. For more information, please visit our help center https://support.edmodo.com/home#entries/22534784-lock-unlock-or-reset-your-group-code-teacher

Please consider changing this policy. As a teacher, I have not had concerns about unwanted students entering my classes. I would agree with many others, that I sometimes I need students to join at a later date. I understand that I can “accept” the invitation, but this slows down the workflow process. Please, Please, Please, rethink this and go back to the “old way”. Thanks for your consideration.